Best Camp Movies

And, the Award Goes to…

If you have ever been to a summer camp, you know that there is no other experience like it. I worked at a sleepaway summer camp for five years, and that experience has influenced a lot of the life decisions I make. You grow bonds with people faster than you ever thought possible. My camp friends are some of my best friends, and I am sure they will remain lifelong friends.

There are a lot of movies that have camp settings—some are funny, some scary, and some downright scary. If you ever went to, or worked at, a summer camp, I’m sure you can enjoy these movies. For those of you who haven’t had this experience, you can live vicariously through these flicks.

The Cutest Camp Kid Comedy Award: The Parent Trap

The original version of this movie, with Hayley Mills, is just way too cute. The story is about two identical twin girls who didn’t know each other existed until they meet for the first time at a summer camp. Starting out as enemies, they become friends…and switch places when it is time to go home. This is a great family film that will keep everyone laughing at the all the hijinks.

Although the entire film doesn’t take place at a summer camp, a good amount of it does. And you will get some classic camp scenes with socials and trick playing. The cabins are priceless.

The Teen Angst Camp Drama/Comedy Award: Little Darlings

This movie might be called Little Darlings, but the girls in this teen flick are anything but. It starts out with the typical teenage girl movie cattiness, resulting in the two main characters in a bet to see who will lose their virginity first. Honestly, it isn’t the best movie ever, but it does examine how girls view puberty and their “first time.”

You would be hard pressed these days to find a camp that lets campers and counselors get away with the kind of stuff that happens in this movie—too many liabilities, but it still captures the essence of the summer camp experience.

The Tear Jerker Camp Movie Award: Indian Summer

I first watched this movie when it first came out in 1993, but didn’t appreciate it as much as I do now that I’ve spent time at a summer camp. The movie is about group of adults invited back to their childhood summer camp for a reunion during an Indian Summer. The camp director treats all of them like campers, and forces them to participate in the same activities they did as children. The movie is great because it captures the unique relationships only those who have gone to camp together can experience. During their trip, old memories resurface and they are all faced with difficult decisions. What will they do? You’ll have to watch to find out.

The Pee-Your-Pants Camp Weird Comedy Award: Wet Hot American Summer

This is one funny movie for those of you who appreciate weird humor. If you are easily offended, don’t watch it—remember it is Rated R (gasp) for a whole lot of sex, obscene language, and drug use. It holds a special place in my heart because it was filmed about half an hour away from my summer camp.

It is definitely an exaggeration of the things that happen at camp, but so funny. If you have a kooky sense of humor, you will get a kick out this camp movie.

The Raunchiest, Best Line Camp Comedy Award: American Pie

This movie is not at all about a summer camp (unless you count one of the many spinoffs), but it does have the line that everyone remembers: “This one time, at band camp…” Now nobody can tell camp stories without someone flashing this line at them. Yes, that’s right. I’m recommending this movie just for that line.

If you don’t mind watching a bunch of oversexed (or wannabe oversexed) teenagers acting like morons, this movie is for you. It has some pretty crude humor, but if you have to choose—go with Wet Hot American Summer for some real laughs.

The Silliest Slasher Camp Horror Award: Sleepaway Camp (1, 2, & 3)

I first saw these movies during my “I love scary movies” phase as a teenager. But these are not scary movies—these are funny slasher flicks. If you have a sense of humor, you will laugh your way through the Sleepaway flicks. If you don’t have a sense of humor, you will think these are the dumbest movies ever. Beware—the killer in this movie has no mercy for anyone “fornicating” at camp. Funny lines:

“Is that a gun?”

“No, it’s a drill!”

The Make You Scared of Camp Horror Award: Friday the 13th

I have only seen bits and pieces of the Jason movies, but I do not plan on ever seeing them. These aren’t the silly scary movies that make me laugh. If you watch these movies, you will probably have a hard time walking across a summer camp alone at night (and that is a fear I cannot afford to have). Apparently, Jason Voorhees drowned at Camp Crystal Lake because the counselors were too busy hooking up to pay attention to him. Well, Jason comes back to chop to pieces any teenager dumb enough to come back to the camp. You want to be too scared to go to camp? Watch the Jason movies.

Comments

No HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites.

sending

teenscamps

6 years ago

There are lots of movies based on the camps. Many of the movies are comical while many of them are serious but one thing is that these movies can encourage teens and parents to join these summer camps.

I loved Wet Hot American Summer! What about Meatballs? Another one that was very good was "Heavy Weigts" with Ben Stil as a fat camp counseler. Funny Stuff.

AshleyVictoria

9 years agofrom Los Angeles

Rent "Camp Nowhere." HILARIOUS little comedy with Jonathan Jackson and Andrew Keegan when they were about 13 years old. They don't like the camps their parents send them to so they make their own camp!

Peppermint Thrift

9 years ago

Great Hub! Before watching Sleepaway Camp - a friend told me, "You don't even know about Sleepaway Camp." So true, so true. The sequels got a little out-there and "Return to Sleepaway Camp" is terrible. But the first one - what a shocker!

Another summer practically gone...it's 9/1 !!! And I just found this hub! Indian summer looks intriguing....have seen Parent Trap, both versions, countless times...my daughters adored these movies...fun hub!

Hillaryj

10 years agofrom Brooklyn, NY

I second the vote for MEATBALLS. my favorite! i try to watch it once every summer....it's like the &quot;Christmas Story&quot; of camp movies....

julie

10 years ago

me, my sister and my aunt all want to go camping this summer. we want to watch a scary movie about camping someone help me out what's good?

DJ Funktual

10 years agofrom One Nation Under a Groove

My favorite movie in this genre did not make your list.

MEATBALLS with Bill Murray.

Great call with Friday the 13th, that will scared the camp out of you.

What's funny is..when I saw your title I thought you were talking about Campy movies like the ones John Waters makes. Funny that your topic is so rare and yet it also describes a genre of films that have nothing to do with your subject.

If it was intentional..it was genius. CROSSTOWN TRAFFIC..if you will.

Frank

10 years agofrom Montana

These are funny movies that remind me of going camping with a lot of girls around.

AUTHOR

Stacie Naczelnik

10 years agofrom Seattle

Anne! I remember the first time I got lost in the woods on purpose too! Oh...all those firsts...I miss camp.

annemaeve

10 years agofrom Philly Burbs

Stacie, thanks so much for sharing - years at summer camps have definitely shaped my life, and now I have new movie night ideas. I value so much from those summers; my first night under the stars, my first time getting lost in the woods on purpose, my first job, my first (ahem) inter-office romance, and first time I realized I was meant to be a teacher. Here's to warm campfires and cold lakes forever!

AUTHOR

Stacie Naczelnik

10 years agofrom Seattle

Fini, there are so many awesome lines from those movies. Oh man...I see a movie marathon coming on.

Fini214

10 years agofrom Chicago, IL

My favorite quote from Sleepaway Camp: &quot;She's a real carpenter's dream, flat as a board and needs a screw&quot; --Judy on the crossing dressing Angela--

AUTHOR

Stacie Naczelnik

10 years agofrom Seattle

Seamus - most camps are for the rich! I paused on Dirty Dancing while making this, but it is actually a resort with a camp-like schedule.

Monitor - I think when people spend a concentrated amount of time together, they bond like that. It is an amazing experience. In fact, it is how i met my husband.

Whitney - I have not see it. Does it take place at a camp? Or just camping?

seamus

10 years ago

What a unique subject for a hub. Thanks for bringing back the memory of that movie line &quot;one time at band camp.&quot; LOL

This one is not really about camp -- more like a camp for the rich -- but I can't help think of Dirty Dancing as a camp movie.

monitor

10 years agofrom The world.

The fast bonding your mentione is also very relevant withing groups of people working in foreign lands. Kind of amazing just how fast people get together as friends. I have seen the first movie, the parent trap, in fact watched it again last week. The rest I am goig to have to go our and buy. Thanks.

Whitney

10 years agofrom Georgia

Would you include 'Without a Paddle' as a camp movie? The kinda camp during the movie and do camping things. Ha. It's my dad's favorite movie. He rarely buys movies, but that was one he bought. Nice compilation.

AUTHOR

Stacie Naczelnik

10 years agofrom Seattle

Be prepared for it Steph--it goes overboard, but is ridiculously funny. Not kid friendly.

Stephanie Hicks

10 years agofrom Bend, Oregon

Great Hub I really enjoy the compilation of these movies, and will have to (one day) see the Wet Hot American Summer!

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

This is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)

Google AdSense Host API

This service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

This is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

Facebook Login

You can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

Maven

This supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)

We may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.

Conversion Tracking Pixels

We may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.

Statistics

Author Google Analytics

This is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)

Comscore

ComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)

Amazon Tracking Pixel

Some articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)